A 40-Year Retrospective of APHIS, 1972–2012

Since APHIS was formed in 1972, it has evolved into a multi-faceted Agency with responsibilities that include protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health from foreign pests and diseases, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act, and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. It has been 15 years since APHIS compiled a history of its mission and activities. This year, 2012, marks both the 40th anniversary of the Agency and the 150th anniversary of USDA, providing a unique opportunity to put that history in context. This retrospective briefly examines the history of animal and plant health regulation within USDA, assesses APHIS' development over four decades, includes biographies of the Agency’s Administrators, and provides snapshots of some of the milestone issues and events that define the Agency’s history and its accomplishments.